In the Name of Jesus

We have been pursuing our Doctrinal Rethink for some time now. In the process of engaging it we have begun to question certain beliefs, church structures, and practices of the western church. Too often we have discovered unbiblical doctrines and activities. This causes us concern.

Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched? How did we arrive at our doctrines?

Introduction

Today we consider a commonly used phrase, "In Jesus' name" and its variants. It is used about two dozen times, all in Acts except for one time in Ph. 2:10. Christians seem to use this phrase like its an exclamation point, especially at the end of a prayer. In the circles we travel it is also used during prayer as a tag to various spiritual commands, like healing for example. It goes something like this: "Heavenly Father, we speak to this cancer in Jesus' name; you are not welcome here, be gone in Jesus' name."

This certainly is not without biblical precedent:

Ac. 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

But how we think of the name of Jesus and how we invoke it is more important than perhaps we realize. It is this topic we intend to explore today.

The Names of the God

There is something about names in the Bible that draw our attention. So many people were given new names (Abram to Abraham, Sari to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, etc.). Nebuchadnezzar re-named Daniel and his three friends in an attempt to force their identity into being Babylonian and away from being Hebrew. People and locations were named according to some fact of their existence, or something that occurred that precipitated a certain outcome or event, or because of an encounter or experience. 

Names are filled with significance. Identity is inextricably tied to one's name. We would suggest that every person's name carries spiritual import, that our names define us. A name is so personal, so "me." Our names are who we are, in a sense. Indeed, it would be impossible to function in a society where there were no names. Even government gives us names (Social Security numbers) to identify us. Identity is that important.

"God" is not His name, though most Christians refer to Him this way. We suppose that it is cumbersome to call Him Yahweh, plus it sounds a bit pretentious to do so. However, God is known and revealed by His name, YHWH, aka Yahweh or Jehovah. This is known as the tetragrammaton. A friend wrote this interesting explanation of God's name, which contains some thoughts the average Christian may not have yet considered. 

Yahweh, the God of heaven and earth, the Most High, the creator of everything, has a name, and His name is important:

John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.”

God is actually called many names, including 

• Elohim
• El Shaddai (God Almighty)
• El Elyon (The Most High God)
• El Olam (The Everlasting God)
• Yahweh Jireh (The Lord will provide)
• Yahweh Nissi (The Lord is my Banner)
• Yahweh Shalom (The Lord is Peace)
• Yahweh Sabbaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
• Yahweh Maccaddeshcem (The Lord your Sanctifier)
• Yahweh Ro’i (The Lord my Shepherd)
• Yahweh Tsidkenu (The Lord our Righteousness)
• Yahweh Shammah (The Lord is there)
• Yahweh Elohim Israel (The Lord, the God of Israel
• Magen (shield)
• Adonai (Master)

In the NT we find

• Theos (God)
• Kurios (Lord)
• Despotes (Master)
• Immanuel (God with us)
• Alpha and Omega
• First and Last
• The Almighty (ruler of all)
• The Living One
• the Root and the Offspring of David
• the bright Morning Star
• the The Holy One
• Father

YHWH and its variants is found 6220 times in the Bible. In some translations like the KJV the name is represented as LORD, all in caps. The first occurrence of YHWH is here:

Ge. 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens —

"LORD God" is "YHWH Elohim." 

Genesis starts with "in the beginning, God...," but it didn't take long before He revealed His name as YHWH. 

We would suggest that using His name is important, especially to the extent that it identifies which god we are talking to or about, in our prayers particularly. This may sound superstitious or unnecessary, but we have found there are people in the church who seem to be Christians but intend to disrupt the church. Their participation at a prayer meeting, for example, might be to pray to their god, which of course is not God Most High, YHWH.

We think we ought to be clear that we pray to and worship the Most High God. 

He first identified Himself to Abram:

Ge. 15:7 He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

Then to Moses:

Ex. 3:14-15 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — has sent me to you.’ This is my name for ever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

Yahweh makes it very clear to Moses that there is one particular, eternal, almighty God, the God their fathers worshiped, whom the nation of Israel is to also worship. He is the pre-eminent one, the one whom alone is worthy of worship:

Ex. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me.

De. 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only... 

His name is important to Him, and ought to be important to us:

Ps. 111:9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.

Ps. 23:3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Ps. 79:9 Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

Ez. 39:25 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.

Pr. 30:4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

Jesus

What is his name, and the name of his son? Indeed, what is the name of his son? Solomon asks the question of the ages. Long before Solomon wrote this, from the foundations of the earth, known by YHWH from times everlasting, the Son was to be revealed, mankind was to receive a savior, and victory over sin and death was to be won. This Son is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God, the son of man, the redeemer and Savior, the lion and the lamb.

The angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream with this message:

Mt. 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

The Father in heaven selected the name for the one by who saves us. The name Jesus is also Jeshua in the OT, and means "he will save." As we mentioned above, names are important. They have meaning. The Father determined it, Jesus, "He will save."

Jesus Himself operated in this understanding:

Jn. 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

In our time of "easy believism" the name of Jesus has been watered down. Too often these days we are advised to "accept Jesus" or "follow Jesus" or "believe in Jesus." Although these are biblical statements, they miss the importance of the Name. - "believe in the name." The name is the representation of all that Jesus is, "he will save." The name is power, healing, overcoming. So to believe in the name is to believe in Jesus in full. Believe in His Word, His victory over sin and death at the cross, His Kingship, His commands, His resurrection, His glory and power. 

To "believe in the name" is to abandon all and follow Him. 

"Believe in the name" is what the apostles immediately began preaching after Pentecost:

Ac. 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ac. 3:6, 16 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

This is how salvation comes to a man, a revelation of the awesomeness of Jesus and His power to save the wretched soul who repents and believes... in the name.

En

The Greek word for "in" is en, which has a dozen definitions in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. This indicates a richness to the word which exceeds the typical English understanding. For example, we might say, "I'm sitting in a restaurant," but that merely indicates where one is physically located. The Greek means so much more:

...of a person to whom another is wholly joined and to whose power and. influence he is subject, so that the former may be likened to the place in which the latter lives and moves. So used in the writings of Paul and of John particularly of intimate relationship with God or with Christ, and for the most part involving contextually the idea of power and blessing resulting from that union...

Paul refers to "in Christ" and its variants dozens of times. It conveys a connection, an identification, a position that goes far beyond simple physical location. "In the name of Jesus," then, is not the repeating of certain words at key times in a prayer, but rather that the prayer is being offered from knowing Him and His character, and one is positioned with Him in agreement with the revelation of His will. Praying "in the name of Jesus" means the one who prays knows what Jesus wants.

This is the mistake in understanding made by the Seven sons of Sceva. They thought it was simply a matter of using the name:

Ac. 19:13-16 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

"Who are you" is an important question, not because demons uttered it, but because it conveys a questioning of identity and position. The demons tremble at the name of Jesus because of who He is. Paul obviously was "in Christ" to such a great degree that he was known in the dark world. However, the seven sons of Sceva were not "in Christ," and the demons knew it. 

These men were "in" nothing at all.

We are commanded to pray in Jesus' name:

Jn. 16:23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

"In my name." Positionally and identificationally "in." "In," based on intimate knowledge. "In" based on fellowship. "In" base on obedience:

Jn. 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 

The name of Jesus conveys majesty, power, dominion, and kingship:

Ph. 2:10 ...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth...

Notice that bowing at the name of Jesus is not the same as bowing before Jesus. Every knee will bow simply at the name. The name alone is worthy of submission, worship, rejoicing, and fear. Then name alone is enough to display the fullness of His glory. "Every knee" means there is no greater king, no greater majesty. He alone is exalted above every name. 

Conclusion

The name of Jesus is a representation of who He is. It's not just a moniker, it is all of Him. Therefore, our use of the words "in the name of Jesus" perhaps ought to be a bit more circumspect. To engage the name of Jesus requires us to experience a revelation of His glory and an understanding that comes from the eyes of our hearts being opened. 

Finally, we note the one last powerful expression of the name:

Re. 22:4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.